Automobiles Review – Page 878 – Car News, Car Reviews, Auto Shows, Car Photos, Car Videos

SR Auto Project Denso Fiat 500 Prima Edizione

We really hate it when some tuning houses decide to put some flashy wheels on an already appealing car and call it a project. So when we caught a glimpse of this Fiat 500 Prima Edizione (limited edition) touched by SR Auto, we rolled our eyes. “Here’s another one… what’s it called?” Project Denso they say.

Okay, so it has a set of lightweight Work Meister S1R wheels. Massive two-piece forged things, finished in matte black and line with some bronze. The Fiat’s wheel arches, as we can clearly see, are struggling for air. At this point, we hurried to conclude: “Okay, so that’s about it, right?”

Well, it turned out that’s not the full story. Some behind the curtain work has also been done. We should have guessed that one – lower springs by H&R, good for handling we’ve been told.

But even deeper underneath the shell, a K&N filter system works its magic to provide a bit of extra boost from the air coming in. Further down the road we also find a Magnaflow cat back exhaust system that releases any flow restriction that might have been present on the standard Prima Edizione Fiat 500.

So then, Project Denso it is – 100% fun content (from concentrate).

SR Auto Project Denso Fiat 500 Prima Edizione

Source: SR Auto

May 10, 2012

CFC Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG – Fast and Aggressive

CFC has announced their tuning program for the mighty S65 AMG. The big saloon is the top-of-range model of Mercedes and comes with brutal 6.0 liter V12 bi-turbo engine delivering 612HP and 1000Nm of torque. It is mated to 5-speed automatic gearbox.

The tuning company offers complete restyling exterior package including foiling the hood, top and boot lid with KK-Cocoon Xirallic KKCO X50. The rest of the body shimmers in CFC Carbody Coloring Pearl White.

The modification includes new front and rear bumpers, new door sills, new radiator case and also new door mirror; they have changed front and back lights and widened the wheel arches. The “Lambo” doors are little too tufty, especially on a saloon car.

The interior is also restyled by S&N Design GbR company from Sindelfingen, which is responsible for the grand interior in black-and-white Nappa quilting.

Source: CFC

May 10, 2012

Hofele Design Cayster GT 670 – based on Porsche Cayenne II

Hofele Design has announced their new tuning project. It is called Cayster GT 670 – based on the popular Porsche Cayenne II. It comes with both style and performance modifications.

The interior boasts complete aerodynamics package including by a new styled bumper with bigger air vents and new design line. Part of the kit are emotional wheel arch extensions and a newly styled rear apron diffuser. Another strong design element are the 4-tube stainless steel tailpipes in the style of “interlaced double oval”. The interaction of these 4-tube tailpipes with the wider diffuser rear apron makes the rear of the Cayenne look very powerful.

The Hofele body kit parts are simply fitted at the original fixing points or glued onto the car without any changes and can be used for all Cayenne models, including the Turbo model.

The interior boasts elegant two-tone “StarLight” leather seats with quilted accents and Hofele logos on the headrests.

The SAV rolls “REVERSO II” in the sizes 20″ and 22″ alloy wheels fitted with low-profile performance tires. Furthermore, the whole vehicle can be lowered by 40mm.

Performance packages are available for 3.0 TDI V6 boosted to 300HP (221 kW) and 650Nm (479 lb-ft) – an increase of 55HP (40 kW) and 100Nm (74 lb-ft). The Cayenne S Hybrid can also be upgraded to 481HP (354 kW) and 737Nm (543 lb-ft), which is a whopping increase of 101HP and 157Nm.

Source: Hofele Design

May 10, 2012

Aston Martin Ultimate DBS

Keep your eyes peeled as a new Aston Martin might be coming out. Well, we say new, but it actually a special edition of the DBS – the ultimate Aston get’s an “Ultimate” trim. Not much has been disclosed so far so we’ll have to play the guessing game.

There will two versions of it – Coupe and Volante (open top). The exterior shades will range from Silver Fox to Quantum Silver and Carbon Black II. The wheels will be strictly Black Diamond only contrasted by the yellow brake calipers (one would be able to have them also in red or black). The wing mirror caps and lamp in-falls will be garnished with carbon fiber and the rear lights will be smoked. A unique “DBS Ultimate” will finish off the exterior look.

As for the inside, we can clearly see those Obsidian Black, diamond patterned seats with contrasting red stitching – delicious. The inside of the door bares the same design while the headlining is made from Alcantra. On the headrests, we find yet again, a unique DBS Ultimate badge with red in-fill. The flappy paddles behind the well also get a leather treatment in red.

If this really is going to be the “ultimate” Aston Martin DBS then it better develop, at the very least 510 hp and 570 Nm. This is the absolute minimum. Pretty certain that they won’t change the plant – 5.9-liter V12 but squeezing out more juice from it does not sound that impossible.

Source: Aston Martin

May 9, 2012

2013 Hyundai Sonata Tackles Other from its Segment

Don’t you hate it when car manufacturers bash one another over which one is the leader in a segment? That’s exactly what Hyundai are now doing with their 2013 Sonata. We had to go trough bulks of comparisons between their car (the 2013 MY) and 2012 MY Altimas and Accords, Malibus and Fusions to actually get to some relevant information. Whichever table we looked at, the Sonata was one step ahead… but is that really the case?

It is cheap, we’ll give them that. At $21,720 you get a Sonata GLS complete with the “Popular Equipment Package”. That roughly means front heated seats and fog lights among other luxuries. Power comes from a Theta II GDI 2.4-liter unit which, judging by the acronym, one might think it’s a diesel. The thing is GDI stands for Gasoline Direct-Injection and that’s what the Sonata uses to spray fuel into the cylinders at pressure of 2,175 psi. Thus the compression ration stands at a high 11.3:1 and the pistons inside are dished so that they can handle the combustion process more efficiently. With all that in mind, we are being told that the Sonata achieves 24 mpg in an urban environment and 35 mpg on the highway. The transmission that comes as standard is a six-speed automatic with SHIFTRONIC and has to deal with 198 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque. The SE trim also boasts a standard dual exhaust system which adds 2 more hp and 2 more lb.-ft. of torque.

While the 2.4 Theta II GDI is naturally aspirated, the 2.0-liter one is turbocharged. That means even more power and almost no compromises in terms of efficiency – 274 hp at 6000 rpm and 269 lb-ft of torque within the 1,750 – 4,500 rpm range.

On the Hyundai Sonata 2.0T SE trim you get a fully automatic temperature control unit which is convenient. What isn’t convenient, but rather exciting, is the sporty suspension – stiffer springs and larger stabilizer bars, resulting in a 20 percent increase in roll resistance. Add to that 18-inch, low profile tires and a constantly adapting electric power steering and you’ve got yourself a car that does not shy away from a corner.

Driver aids include the usual ABS and ESP systems but also Electronic Brake-force Distribution – depending on the place of load, braking power gets redirected. Six airbags and active front-seat head restrains keep you safe and sound.

It goes without saying, that inside, the connectivity is topnotch – XM Satellite Radio for three months, Bluetooth, a place to plug in your iPod or USB drive and a touch-screen navigation system that comes with the SE and Limited trim levels.

Overall, the Hyundai Sonata sounds like a decent car. The only thing the company needs to do is to stop jabbing the others and gain and focus on their product. The automotive industry should not tolerate dirty play.

Source: Hyundai

May 9, 2012

Superchips Nissan Qashqai 1.5 DCi – 130HP and 275Nm

Superchips now offer a performance program for the best-selling Nissan Qashqai – the 1.5 DCi model delivering 110HP and 248Nm.

Thanks to an ECU re-map, the small turbo-diesel is boosted to 130HP and 275Nm of torque. This is an increase of 20HP and 27Nm.

On the road the extra power and torque from the Superchips enhanced Nissan Qashqai brings the excitement back to daily driving. The 1.5 DCi unit pulls harder throughout the rev range, feeling considerably more responsive, urgent and willing, making overtaking, fast cruising and towing a pleasurable experience. As are visits to the fuel pumps. Independent consumption tests on Superchip equipped vehicles have proven that by optimising the ECU’s settings and increasing the low speed torque output, fuel consumption improves by up to 7% – meaning that the Qashqai’s 54mpg quoted standard figure should be improved upon, even with a power increase of over 18%.

No technical skills are required as Superchips’ customers plug the bluefin handset into the Qashqai’s OBDII diagnostic port and then follow the simple on-screen instructions, a process which takes a matter of minutes.

Customers can be assured the Superchips Nissan Qashqai conversion is covered by a full Customer Service Guarantee and an industry-leading 12 month / 30,000 supplementary full vehicle warranty.

The price is £399 including VAT @ 20%. The upgrade will fit the any vehicles produced September 2010 onwards.

Source: Superchips

May 9, 2012

Ferrari 599 GTO vs Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and Nissan GT-R [HD video]

Another great video has been released by Dragtimesinfo. This time the mighty 599 GTO Fiorano meets two tuned beasts – GTR Mk2 Ecutek Stage 2 with 670HP and Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Lingenfelter with 730HP.

The 599 GTO Fiorano is powered by a naturally aspirated all-aluminum 6.0 liter V12 with 670HP (493 kW) at 8250RPM and 620 Nm (460 lb-ft) of torque at 6500RPM. 0-100 km/h in 3.35 seconds and a top speed of 335 km/h (208 mph). The overall weight is 1 605 kg (3 540 lbs), which is almost 100 kg (220 lbs) less than the standard GTB.

In the first start, the GTO meets the GT-R. The Ferrari is doomed, because of the rainy surface. The GT-R ran ¼ mile in just 11.606 seconds with 210 km/h and crossed the finish line with 300 km/h for just 28.156 seconds.

The battle against the ZR1 was much more interesting, because both cars are RWD. Still, the Corvette manage to beat the 599 crossing the finish line with 309 km/h with time of 29.356 seconds.

Enjoy the video!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtVVF601HmE

Source: Dragtimesinfo via Youtube

May 9, 2012

World Record: Volkswagen Passat Covers 1626 Miles on a Single Tank of Fuel

We often get figures from car makers that, from time to time beggar belief. Especially when we are talking about estimated mpg data. It goes without saying then, that nothing beats a real life test to see exactly what’s what. That’s exactly what record breaking duo John and Helen Taylor have done – travel 1626.1 miles on a single tank of fuel (a record breaking distance). The car of choice was a 2012, manual Volkswagen Passat TDI SE Clean Diesel.

It was a three day journey with a starting point at Houston Texas. The tank was brimmed up with a batch of ultra-low sulfur diesel and the fuel cap was then sealed by officials. And when we are talking real life, we mean real life – 120 pounds of luggage was stuffed at the back and the driving was done only during daytime hours so that the traffic could also contribute as a factor. On the third day of the journey, after 1626.1 miles, the couple reached Sterling, Virginia where the world record was confirmed – 99.5 miles better than the previous record holder (a Volkswagen Passat 1.6 BlueMotion diesel). The average consumption of the TDI Clean Diesel turned out to be 84.1 mpg.

That’s pretty impressive when we take into account that the 2.0-liter engine inside it generates 140 hp and 236 pound-feet of torque. The given EPA estimated fuel economy for it stands at 43 mpg at the highway. Every single state is quite happy about the Passat’s emissions as it has been fitted with a Selective Catalytic Reduction System (SCR) – some sort of which craft that makes rainbows and butterflies come out from the exhaust.

“The Passat was engineered and designed to be a comfortable yet fun to drive alternative in the midsize segment. The TDI Clean Diesel version unites driving dynamics and fuel efficiency that isn’t found in the competitive set,” said Rainer Michel, Vice President of Product Strategy, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “We’re honored that the Taylors chose the 2012 Passat TDI as the vehicle to set this outstanding distance record. Their record shows just how economical the Passat TDI can be in the right hands.”

This is not Taylor’s first efficiency venture. They are in fact renown for independently researching various ways of efficient driving, holding workshops globally. Their collected data from drivers around the globe is as vast as their ambitions.

John and Helen Taylor next to the Volkswagen Passat TDI SE Clean Diesel

Source: Volkwsagen

May 9, 2012

McLaren P12 – the F1 successor [render]

Jacek Kolodziejczyk a.k.a. Iacoski has released a render of the successor of the legendary McLaren F1. The new super sports car will be named P12.

The artist has created a speculative effort as to what the final model will look like and we like it very much. Of course, it reminds a lot of MP4-12C. The front end is practically the same, but the car is much wider and more aggressive than MP4.

Probably, the engine will be a tuned version of the 3.8 liter twin-turbocharged V8 that will be coupled with the Formula 1 derived kinetic energy recovery system (KERS). The expected overall power is around 900HP (671 kW). The P12 will be a direct rival to the successor of Ferrari Enzo.

Stay tuned for more information about this interesting vehicle. Of course, the McLaren F1 will remain our all times favourite sports car, but it will be interesting to see something new and … fast!

Source: iacoski via Facebook

May 9, 2012

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 takes place at Indy 500

Chevrolet has announced the 2013 Corvette ZR1, which will take place at the Indianapolis 500. The competition will start Sunday, May 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race car is designed to celebrate the model’s 60th anniversary and final year of production.

Additional content includes a ZR1-style rear spoiler, special badging, gray-painted brake calipers and the “60th” logo on the wheel center caps, steering wheel and seat headrests. An optional graphics package adds full-length racing stripes in Pearl Silver Blue, including a tonal stripe stitched into the convertible top, extending the graphic theme over the roof.

“Corvette embodies pure performance, so the ZR1 is a perfect car to pace the most prestigious auto race in the world,” commented Jeff Belskus, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation president and chief executive officer.

“Chevrolet is a great partner of the Speedway, and we share in the excitement of the upcoming 60th anniversary of the iconic Corvette brand. It’s even more meaningful to see a Chevrolet pacing the field at Indy since Chevy has returned as an engine supplier for the IZOD IndyCar Series for the first time since 2005.”, he added.

Chevy Corvette ZR1 is powered by a 6.2 liter supercharged V8 with 647HP (476 kW) and 818Nm (604 lb-ft) of torque. It is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. 0-100 km/h in 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 330 km/h (205 mph). The overall weight of the car is just 1520 kg (3353 lbs.).

The ZR1 lapped the famed Nurburgring’ Nordschleife (“north loop”) in 7:19.63.

Source: Chevrolet

May 9, 2012

Prior Mercedes-Benz M-Class Aerodynamic Kit

prior-mercedes-benz-m-class-w164 Prior Design seem to be in a very SUV mood considering the fact that they have released yet another program for an old-ish titan. Nor really that old actually – the Mercedes-Benz M Class W164 (the one made from 2005 to 2011). Does it look any different from yesterday’s Range Rover? Well, granted that it is a Mercedes, it does but the Prior Design formula on it is basically the same.

Yes, you know it – a front bumper, side skirts a rear bumper and… mounting material. Not what we call thrilling. Okay, there’s also a hood that comes along. Mind you, that’s how things sound on paper. A quick glance at the gallery and we find that the end result is not that gray (it’s white). Despite the add-on side skirts, the M-class has managed to retain a bit of it’s ground clearance. The rear bumper blends seamlessly with the back fenders and wheel-arches while the front looks simply mean (this being an SUV, it should). There are of course LED daytime running lights. But they are optional. At the price of 329 Euros ($428), we recommend they stay that way.

As usual, all materials are made up of Dura-Flex Fiber Reinforced Plastic which is, as one might suspect, durable and flexible. No modifications on the stock Mercedes M-class whatsoever are needed.

Source: Prior Design

May 8, 2012

2012 Toyota RAV4 EV Revealed

As promised, Toyota have unveiled the RAV4 EV. The event took place at the 26th Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles. The hopes are high as some expect it to be no less impressive than the current petrol RAV4 V6 in terms of “driving performance, dynamics and cargo capacity. That’s amibtious.

The drivetrain inside it can provide power for 160 km once every charge. After that, you find a 240V/40A charger and “brim it up” fir six hours. Pretty much all the bits underneath have been made by Tesla. It took both companies 22 months to achieve this but eventually, we end up with the “only all-electric SUV on the market”

The torquey electricity powers goes to the front wheels in two manners – Sport and Normal. While on the former, the RAV4 can go from 0 to 60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 7 seconds dead while the top speed climbs up to 160 km. A more leisurely way to drive up to the grocer’s can be the Normal mode – 0-60 mph in 8.6 seconds and 137 km/h at best.

The maximum output of power has been estimated to be 115kW @ 2,800 rpm. The heavy battery pack buried deep down inside the car benefits the center of gravity while the electric motor purrs in a very serene way. Surrisingly, the RAV4 body is also slippery – a 0.30 drag coefficient is the very best among SUV’s apparently.

In terms of body design, there are some slight deviations from the standard look of the Toyota RAV4. The front bumper, upper and lower grille, side mirrors, rear spoiler and under body shape have all been restyled in favor of aerodynamics. Sales are expected to start somewhere around during the late summer of 2012. Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of Toyota in the United States, hopes that:

“…the RAV4 EV will attract sophisticated early technology adopters, much like the first-generation Prius,”

We’ll have to see about that.

Source: Toyota

May 8, 2012

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